1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to fishing equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to fishing lures which are designed to simulate the movement of live bait.
2. State of the Art
Fishermen have for centuries attempted to design or discover the perfect bait to lure their intended catch, such as bass, to their hook. Fishermen know that fish are instinctively attracted to the movement of live bait. Unfortunately, it is not always possible or convenient for a fisherman to carry or fish with live bait. Further, live bait is more expensive to use, is not always readily available, and is difficult to skewer with a barbed hook without unintentionally killing the bait or greatly reducing its ability or desire to move normally.
Over the years, fishing equipment manufacturers have made numerous attempts to perfect an artificial fishing lure which simulates characteristics of a variety of types of live bait. The lures are generally molded from soft plastic to closely simulate the look of the particular bait animal. While manufacturers of such lures have succeeded in designing artificial bait with an extremely life-like appearance, they have not been completely successful at designing artificial bait which simulates the movements of live bait in actual use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,360 of Creme and U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,952 of Creme show attempts to design artificial worms which look like live worms and which attempt to simulate the movement of live worms. The '360 patent describes a coiled worm-like lure having simulated worm markings and a bifurcated tail portion. Because the worm is molded in a partially coiled position, the lure gyrates in a somewhat spiral path, attempting to simulate a worm-like movement when the lure is being dragged through the water. The '952 patent describes an artificial worm lure which simulates a worm coiled on a flat surface. While the tail of the lure flaps about when the lure is dragged through the water, the lure is designed to immediately return to a coiled position once the dragging force on the lure has ceased. While both the '360 and the '952 artificial lures simulate both the look of a live worm and the movement of a live worm to some degree when the lure is being dragged through the water, neither continues to simulate the movement of a live worm after the dragging force applied to the lure has ceased. Once the lure ceases to move, the fish are generally less attracted to it. Even after movement of the lure is resumed, the fish are generally no longer interested and are therefore less likely to strike at it.